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Tuesday, June 10, 2025

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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia

He was like a cock who thought the sun had risen to hear him crow. - George Eliot

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Current racing:

• June 8 - 15: Critérium du Dauphiné

Upcoming racing:

• June 13: GP Kanton Aargau
• June 15 - 22: Tour de Suisse
• June 18 - 22: Baloise Belgium Tour
• July 5 - 27: Tour de France

Latest completed racing:

• June 8: Brussels Cycling Classic
• May 9 - June 1: Giro d'Italia
• May 29 - June 1: Tour of Norway
• May 14 - 18: 4 Jours de Dunkerque
• May 18: Rund um Köln
• May 13: Classique Dunkerque
• May 11: Tro-Bro Léon
• May 10: GP du Morbihan
• May 9: Tour du Finistère

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Critérium du Dauphiné stage two reports

We posted the race organizer's report with the results.

Here's the report from stage winner Jonathan Milan's Team Lidl-Trek:

Jonathan Milan and his Lidl-Trek teammates might have been off target on Stage 1 as the General Classification riders played their own game at the front of the race, but they made sure they didn’t miss on Stage 2.

There was perhaps a moment of doubt for those watching as Milan was distanced from the bunch with 56km remaining on the second-category Côte du Château de Buron climb but the Team had full faith in their leader and dropped back to help close the gap to the rest of the field.

On the narrow, twisting roads of the finishing circuit around Issoire, the tension in the bunch was palpable, but Lidl-Trek remained calm and it wasn’t until the final 1.5 kilometers of race when the Team moved up into position to start their lead-out.

The final corners could have caused chaos, but Milan’s teammates remained in control and held the lead of the race all the way to the finish before dropping off the Italian with 400m to go to sprint to an emphatic victory and into the yellow jersey.

Jonathan Milan wins stage two. Sirotti photo

In Jonny’s words…
"Our goal was to come here and keep building up my condition and try do some nice results. Yesterday, I was really suffering a lot as it was my first race in a long time. Today, I also suffered a lot and I was dropped at one point and I was really on the limit. I was really close to being completely out of today's race on the category two climb, but my teammates waited, they brought me back, they supported me and guided me really all day today and got me in the perfect spot for the final sprint. I am really thankful to them.

"When you’re dropped and you’re alone then it’s super tough to come back but when you have a team that is supporting you and believing in you then it’s much easier and that’s what happened today. This support and belief is always super important and it gives you extra motivation and allows you to go more deep in the efforts.

"We knew we had to take this last corner on the front and it was just a perfect leadout. Simone did a huge job when I was dropped, he did a big effort to bring me back and position me and get me in a good spot and then we decided to go with Jasper and Eddie and Toms in front.

"We cannot call any of the days here sprint days, they will all be really tough, but I am enjoying this victory right now. We are doing a really good job for our July preparation and this means a lot in terms of where we want to be next month."

Here's the Critérium du Dauphiné stage two report from Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

The second stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné passed without issue for Team Visma | Lease a Bike. The yellow-and-black squad successfully guided team leader Jonas Vingegaard safely through a hectic finale. The stage win in Issoire went to Jonathan Milan.

A day after the thrilling opening stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné, the peloton once again faced a hilly route. On the rolling roads, Paul Ourselin was the only rider to manage to set up a breakaway. After a lengthy solo effort, the Frenchman was briefly joined by three others, but by then the peloton had already significantly closed the gap. The breakaway riders were caught well before the finish line. 

On the Côte de Nonette, the final climb of the day, home rider Romain Bardet attempted a solo move as well. However, the Frenchman’s brave effort ultimately proved unsuccessful. Teams with sprint ambitions had their sights set firmly on a bunch sprint. Team Visma | Lease a Bike rode an alert stage. Team leader Vingegaard, enjoying a rare day in the green jersey, was guided safely through the chaotic finale. In the sprint, Milan proved the fastest and takes over as the new general classification leader. 

Jonas Vingegaard (center) on the start line with Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. Sirotti photo

Sports director Grischa Niermann: “The stage unfolded as we had anticipated. Teams like Lidl-Trek had clearly targeted the stage win today with their sprinter. Congratulations to them. Our riders made a good impression once again. During the more hectic moments, they were always well positioned. We’re looking forward to the rest of the week.”

Here's the Dauphiné report from Remco Evenepoel's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

The sprinters were motivated to make up for Sunday’s disappointment, when an attack of Remco Evenepoel and a few other general classification men prevented them from fighting for victory at the Dauphiné, one of the last big stage races before the Tour de France.

White jersey'd Remco Evenepoel before the stage start. Sirotti photo

Just like on the previous day, some small climbs punctuated the course between Prémilhat and Issoire, but the peloton brought back all the attacks, including a late one that came on the final ascent of the day, with less than 20 kilometers to go. The stage ended up in a bunch sprint, and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) was the one who took the victory and the yellow jersey.

Remco Evenepoel – who sported the white jersey – concluded safely in the bunch and will now move his attention to Tuesday’s stage, which is set to feature five classified climbs, including a short but very steep one coming just 19 kilometers from the finish.

And here's the race report from Clément Venturini's Team Arkea-B&B Hotels:

At the front on the shoulders of Victor Guernalec, the Arkea-B&B Hotels Excalibur jersey was once again on the attack towards Issoire. Just like the day before, Clément Venturini joined the final sprint and finished 9th in the second stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné.

The stage two sprint.

Clément Venturini:
I'm going for another Top 10. I'm feeling better and better. It's still a massive finish. Today was a flat sprint. There was some movement before, but it was a long way from the finish. It didn't have too much influence on the pure sprint. In these configurations, you have to make the right choices in terms of positioning and taking the right wheel. It's not always easy. 8th on Sunday, 9th today, there's still tomorrow and Thursday to look for opportunities.

Laurent Pichon, Sport director:
After two stages, we're still perfectly in line with our strategy: to be on the offensive in this Critérium du Dauphiné. That's what we did yesterday, and what we did again today. Clément Venturini finished 9th. He was involved and well supported by the team. After his 8th place on Sunday, we were ambitious for this second sprint finish. The team concentrated on him. I saw a lot of commitment in his positioning. On the last bend at 450m, Clément veered a little wide and that cost him an even better placing. After the sprint, Victor Guernalec showed himself. He tried his luck in a group at the front. Once again, we're here and we're going to carry on like this, hoping to do even better.

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